Joel McHale roasts NBC, Hugh Hefner, Chevy Chase at TCA

Actor Joel McHale arrives at the ''Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D'' premiere in Los Angeles, California July 31, 2011. Photo: Reuters

"Community" star Joel McHale kicked off NBC's session at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour on Monday with a stand-up routine that took aim primarily at the many joke-worthy offerings his own network has put on its schedule of late as well as the annual promotional event itself.

Following a confusing introductory clip that featured snippets of NBC's signature successes, including strains from the theme songs for "Seinfeld" and "Friends," McHale quipped about the tepid response, "Wow, thank you. That's exactly what that video was supposed to do. Bring us all together."

About TCA, he said, "It's just like Comic-Con -- but with more nerds. It's like summer camp with shut-ins."

Other hilarious jokes, which came so fast that reporters on hand barely had time to laugh:

"My favorite part of TCA is gambling on the 'Which network is going to try to do something with Christian Slater?' pool."

Describing the upcoming "The Playboy Club," he said, "Basically, it's 'Mad Men' with boobs ... You also get to see a young Hugh Hefner when he only had 13 different strains of herpes. Oh, sure, making fun of Hef -- that's low. His skin is now made of beef jerky -- did you know that?"

"NBC has a new strategy: We're going to wait for all the old people watching CBS and ABC to die. The new motto is: ''Just one more step and you'll be at the bottom of the stairs, grandma.'"

Describing his own show, which he described as "the Chevy Chase babysitting service," he said he was proud that "Community" had tied "The Jersey Shore" in Emmy nominations (with zero).

He thinks the name of the super low-brow "America's Got Talent" should just get it over with and change its name to "America's Done Got Talent."

"The megahit 'The Voice' is coming back," said McHale. "They're making the prize next season very enticing. Not only are they offering a recording contract, but Cee-Lo will take off his sunglasses and show you his lazy eye."

And with that, he introduced NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt.

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